The Theory of Knowledge—a core element of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme—is a course in epistemology and practical philosophy. By examining short texts (including but not limited to local and world issues, philosophy, history and its perspectives, and scientific research) and the knowledge issues they contain and inspire, you will gain the skills necessary to analyze knowledge claims, their underlying assumptions, and their implications.

Monday, August 6, 2012

As I walk the shores of Lake Huron, I am put in mind of Oliver Wendell Holmes's The Chambered Nautilus, which please join me in taking as a natural (ha!) link from last week's post to this week's exploration of Fibonacci. Having read these two pieces, consider the following, adapted from Arup Guha's links to his TOK past:

Most math problems have multiple
solutions that are significantly different. In this assignment, choose a single
math problem from the 4 below and solve it two different ways, the more
different, the better. After showing each solution to your problem, discuss
which of the two solutions you feel is more elegant/beautiful.

An example problem is shown here:

Find the area of a triangle with
side lengths 5, 12, and 13:

1)Solve for the angle across the side 13 using the law of
cosines:

cos C = (52
+ 122 – 132)/(2*5*12)

cos C = 0

C = 90°, thus, 5
and 12 form a base and height for the triangle and the

area is
(.5)(5)(12) = 30.

2)Use Heron’s formula: A = √(s)(s-a)(s-b)(s-c), where s
is the semiperimeter of the triangle.

S = (5+12+13)/2
= 15

Area =√(15)(15-5)(15-12)(15-13) =
√(15)(10)(3)(2) = √900 = 30

Please choose one of the
following problems for your posting:

1) If log(xy3) = 1 and log(x2y) = 1, what is
log (xy)?

2) Mr. Earl E. Bird leaves his house for work at exactly 8:00A.M.
every morning. When he averages 40 miles per hour, he arrives at his workplace
three minutes late. When he averages 60 miles per hour, he arrives three
minutes early. At what average speed, in miles per hour, should Mr. Bird drive
to arrive at his workplace precisely on time?

3) What is the area of the triangle bounded by the lines y = x, y =
-x and y = 6?

4) Given that x2+y2 = 14x + 6y + 6, what is
the largest possible value that 3x+4y can have?